Teenager caused the death of his best friend while distracted by mobile phone call

Court News

Published:10:01Saturday 23 May 2015

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A newly qualified motorist caused the death of his best friend after being distracted by an incoming mobile phone call, Lincoln Crown Court was told yesterday (Friday).

Scott Kingswood was on his phone answering the call when he ran over and killed Robbie Nicholls on an isolated country road near Boston.

Earlier the same morning, Robbie Nicholls visited Kingswood to show him his new moped and they then set off in their separate vehicles travelling in the same direction with the moped in front of Kingswood who was driving his father’s car.

19-year-old Robbie, who had known Kingswood since they were at primary school together, came off his moped as he rode along Butterwick Road, Freiston, and was then, as he lay on the ground, he was run over by Kingswood.

Robert Underwood, prosecuting, said that Robbie had lost control of his moped either as a result of hitting a four-inch deep pot hole or due to being forced to swerve to avoid the pot hole. The collision occurred just a month after Kingswood passed his driving test.

Kingswood ,20, of Milson Close, Coningsby, admitted a charge of causing death by careless driving as a result of the incident on February 14, 2014. He was sent to a young offenders’ institution for eight months and banned from driving for two years.

Judge John Pini QC told him “You deliberately took the decision to answer an incoming call while you were driving. That decision of yours cost Robbie Nicholls his life. It was a deliberate decision of yours.

“The message must go out to motorists in this county that those who use a mobile phone while driving and cause death must go to custody.”